Local Health Professionals Say Allergic Reactions To Vaccine Were Expected

We are less than 24 hours until the FDA could potentially grant emergency use authorization for the Pfizer vaccine here in the U.S.

This comes as health officials in the U.K. warn people with severe allergic reactions to food or medications not to get it after two people had bad reactions to the vaccine.

As more people get the vaccine, the CEO of the Lynn Institute, which held clinical trials for the Pfizer vaccine, said reactions or mild side effects could happen. But he said this shouldn’t scare people away from getting it.

“Pfizer reported no issue related to allergic reactions in their trials in the first 40 some odd thousand patients,” said Carlos Blanco, the CEO of the Lynn Institute.

But as the first doses of the Pfizer vaccine were given in the UK two health care workers had allergic reactions.

“Both had a history of allergic reactions and they both carried EpiPen’s,” said Blanco.

They were okay after treatment, but this led the England National Health Service to warn those prone to allergic reactions with food or medications to not get the vaccine.

“As with everything we do in life there are risks and rewards,” said Blanco.

Blanco said the reward outweighs the risk in this situation.

“If we only saw two or three or a handful of allergic reactions in 100 to 200 million people vaccinated those are good odds that you won’t have a reaction,” said Blanco.

Blanco said the Pfizer vaccine is in the state right now.

The FDA will vote Thursday to decide whether or not they will grant emergency use authorization for Pfizer.

Blanco believes they will. Once the EUA is granted that is when the vaccine can start being rolled out to frontline workers

“It is a shame that there was doubt cast on this vaccine because what has been accomplished by the scientific community and these vaccine manufacturers is absolutely historic,” said Blanco.

And the Lynn Institute is still conducting COVID-19 vaccine trials. If you would like to learn more or get involved you can reach out to them on their website.